NewDelhi (VNA) – Defence cooperationis an important aspect in the India-Vietnam comprehensive strategic partnership, said Lt. Gen. Amarjeet Singh Bedi, Director General of India’sDefence Intelligence Agency.

Addressing a ceremony held by the Vietnamese Embassy in New Delhi on December20 to mark the 75th foundinganniversary of the Vietnam People’s Army (VPA), the Indian officer highlighted the strong development of the VPA,saying that it is playing a crucial role in promoting stability in the region.

He affirmed that both India and Vietnam commit to maintaining securityand stability in Southeast Asia and addressing non-traditional security threats.

India wants to lift its bilateral relations with Vietnam to a new height fordevelopment and prosperity of both sides, he said, expressing his belief that theVPA will make greater contributions to development, advancement and peace ofthe humankind.

According to Bedi, India and Vietnam have closely cooperated at regional andglobal forums such as the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), theEast Asia Summit (EAS), the United Nations (UN) and the World TradeOrganization (WTO). There is much room for the two countries to further expand theircooperation, he said.

For his part, Vietnamese Defence Attaché in India Colonel Nguyen Quang Chien affirmedthat Vietnam resolutely and persistently struggles to resolve all disputes anddisagreements through peaceful measures on the basis of international law andpractice, and proactively prevents war risks.

However, Vietnam will take all necessary measures to defend itself when itssovereignty, territory and national interests are violated, Chien stressed.

While introducing the 2019 White Paper onVietnam National Defence to participants, he reaffirmed that Vietnam will not engage a military allyor join hands with any countries to resist a third country.

Vietnam will not allow any countries to set up a military base in Vietnam or use Vietnam's territory to oppose other nations, andit will not use or threaten to use force in international relations, Chien said.
Vietnam will alsostrengthen defense cooperation with other countries to improve its nationaldefense capacity and settle common security challenges, he added.

On the same day, the Vietnamese Embassy in Mozambique also hosted aget-together in Maputo to congratulate officers and soldiers of Movitel – a jointventure between Vietnam’s Viettel Military Industry and Telecoms Group and Mozambique's SPI Invespar company - on the VPA’s founding anniversary.

In his speech, Ambassador Le Huy Hoang highlighted the important role of theVPA in the past struggles for national liberation and the current cause of nationalconstruction and development.

The diplomat praised Movitel for its significant contributions to Vietnam’seconomic development, as well as to promoting Vietnamese culture and images ofits people in the host society.

Deputy General Director of Movitel Nguyen Ngoc Nam affirmed the company’s determinationto bring more economic benefits to the homeland in the coming time./.